separatation anxiety

Question
Hi Kristen,

I have 2 long haired miniature dachshunds. A male and a female named Teddy(6) and Tina(4). They seem to have separation anxiety. I am not sure how bad it is but Teddy is a lot worst than Tina. We cannot even go into another room without him. If we go outside, before we even close the door he starts wining and barking and scratching at the door. Tina does not normally bark (but does every once in a while) but she jumps and scratches. Tina just follows Teddy, so he gets her worked up, but she is not sure what to do. Tina still goes to the bathroom in the house often. Is this part of separation anxiety? Do you think a crate would help or make matters worst? If you have any advice I would love to hear it! I am open to many options. Also, Tina does not get along with other dogs (except for Teddy). She is going to be 4 years old on the 27th. She is very territorial. Is there a good way that sh can become more sociable with other dogs? I would really appreciate it!

Thanks,
Kristen

Answer
Hi, Kristen! The housebreaking problems with Tina could be due to separation anxiety, or it could be due to being a dachshund.

How long have you had them, and how long has Teddy acted this way? Have you done anything to try and remedy the problem yet?  What DO you do when they begin to show these behaviors?

Have you consulted with a trainer yet? You may want to try and find a local trainer that can come to your house and give you some pointers. It could be separation anxiety, or it could be possessiveness of you and your family. It's hard to say without actually seeing it firsthand.


As for Tina's dog aggression, is there really any *need* for her to be social with strange dogs? My dogs don't really get along with strange dogs either - it's pack mentality. I DO, however, have control over them around strange dogs, so they will, for the most part, ignore other dogs unless the other dog comes and gets in their face. I don't mind, because I don't think that dogs need to socialize with every dog they come across.

There *are* training techniques that you can use to try and desensitize Tina to other dogs, but it's impossible to say whether or not she will ever be able to be turned loose with other dogs that she does not know. You should at least be able to get her to a point where you can walk her past other dogs without her going crazy, though. Again, you should consult with a local trainer to help with this. I don't like giving advice about aggression over the internet.